Featured Marriage: Authority Granted by God?

Ok, I understand your view. However, I don't find any place in scripture that supports your assertion that God is honored when a Pastor presides over a marriage.

I don't have a problem with wedding ceremonies. I don't have a problem with a Pastor presiding over the ceremony.

I don't think Pastors should claim that God has given them authority to proclaim a couple to be husband and wife when scripture doesn't support that claim.

I believe scripture tells us clearly that a man and woman should both be chaste before coming together as one flesh. Once they come together as one flesh, they are married and should remain faithful for life, whether or not a Pastor gives his approval or makes a proclamation.

To claim you are not married until a Pastor says so weakens God's plan for marriage. If you have s*x (even with a prostitute) you become one flesh per the Genesis passage that defines the creation of the institution of marriage.

 

I have acknowledged the possible interpretation that she had been married five times. I find that unlikely for a couple of reasons. Jesus never uses that language. He doesn't say anything about marriage or divorce. He simply says she has had five husbands. Also, the culture makes it unlikely any woman could have been "married" five times and divorced five times.

If, however, Jesus is referring to her promiscuity, which seems likely to me, it is consistent with Paul's statement in 1 Cor 6 that having s*x, even with a prostitute, results in you becoming one flesh according to the Genesis passage, then it makes sense.

Jesus told her she didn't have a husband but that she had five husbands. The 1st time she had s*x she became one flesh, husband and wife. Each time she had s*x with a different man, she broke the marriage bond to the prior man and entered into a one flesh relationship with another. Thus, she had five husbands.

Concerning the statement that "the one you are with now is not your husband" there could be several interpretations.

First, and most likely in my view, is that she was currently in an adulterous relationship....she was sleeping with a married man....someone else's husband. This explains why she was at the well alone and later in the day than usual. She was avoiding other women.

It could be Jesus was saying the one she was with wasn't her husband as God intended. That is, he wasn't the first she had become one flesh with and should have remained faithful to for life.

I'm sure there are other possibilities.

Thanks for the input.